The Relationship between Environmental Change and Socio-Economic Structure in the Context of Socio- Ecological System Approach in Turkey

The aim of the paper is to understand the spatial structure of development in Turkey in the context of socio-economic components and environmental change and to exhibit the interaction between these variables. Accordingly, using factor analysis and k-means cluster analysis with the contribution of environmental, social and economic indicators, different geographical patterns are revealed in Turkey and the interaction between natural degradation and socio-economic structure are examined with the index of SES components in resulting sub-regions. Based on research findings, the power of economic and human capital decline relatively in developed metropolitan areas, on the contrary in developing and underdeveloped regions development rate are increasing faster than metropolitan areas. From this determination it’s possible to obtain three results: (1) it’s impossible to mention sustainability in metropolitan areas if the pressure trend of development will proceed in environment and natural resources, (2) continuity of growth trend with the contribution of institutional, social and physical capital in developing regions will enhance the potential of sustainable development, (3) in tourism cities, although the decrease in resource consumption growth rate and development in economic and human capital, the deterioration of natural resources that are the basis of tourism activities expose risks for the balanced growth in tourism cities.